Need new xenon lights (current HIDs will fail MOT)

psychopomp1

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Hi
I currently have aftermarket HIDs fitted to my Audi A4 (B7-8E) since 2005 and beam pattern is fine but it seems they will fail the MOT according to new testing guidelines
This raises the question of whether these checks apply to vehicles fitted with after-market HID lighting kits. These kits convert conventional halogen headlamps to HID Xenon and they are widely sold and fitted to vehicles used on the road. The Department for Transport considers that after-market systems should be required to meet the same safety standards as that applied in respect of these lamps at vehicle Type Approval. Therefore, in order to pass the MOT test, vehicles fitted with after-market HID systems would also need to be fitted with headlamp cleaning and self-levelling systems. Some high specification estate cars are fitted with a selflevelling suspension system and this would be considered as adequate for the purpose
http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/technicalpenpicture3-lighting.pdf

So either i take remove the HIDs or fit original oem Audi bi-xenons with auto levelling/AFS/washer system which would cost around £2000:eek:
http://www.vwcruise.com/69.html

However came across these from Germany...obviously at that price they're not original Audi but if i can get someone to install these (who can program the sensors using VAG gear), would they do the trick? Unfortunately going back to halogen after using xenons is a no-no:(
KUFATEC GmbH & Co. KG - aLWR Komplettset Audi A4 B7 Bi-Xenon mit AFS 33871
 
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To be honest. I'd take them out.

It's cheaper to just fit the halogens.

Plus without the self levelling they can give grief to other drivers and you'll be a target for the police.

I drive two cars. One with Xenons. One without Xenons. The difference is night and day, but I don't mind the halogens.
 
It's cheaper to just fit the halogens.

and then refit them after the MOT , lets face it , thats what most of the Chav's will do , i have fitted them to a Qashqai that has the projector type lens headlights , have kept the old bulbs in the boot in case i get pulled by the police , in the hope i might just be able to appease them by swapping at the roadside .......
 
alot of garages dont bother testing headlights anyway

like when my dad took is car for mot and it passed

but funny thing is it should of failed

as exhaust as gone rusty and falling to bits
no pads left on the car
cv boot gone

only garages that would most likly check are like kwik fit or ford garages etc but back street garages they wont be bothered checking hardly anything
 
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alot of garages dont bother testing headlights anyway

like when my dad took is car for mot and it passed

but funny thing is it should of failed

as exhaust as gone rusty and falling to bits
no pads left on the car
cv boot gone

only garages that would most likly check are like kwik fit or ford garages etc but back street garages they wont be bothered checking hardly anything

That's a ridiculous thing to say, when it comes to MOTs most garages are meticulous. MOT rules are extremely strict even down to leaving MOT parking spaces unobstructed. If a garage racks up too many penalty points and loses its MOT license it can be game over for that business, so most won't take the risk.

Don't forget an MOT is a very particular list, so when it comes to rust for example it normally needs to be structural to fail an MOT.
 
Epicurus said:
That's a ridiculous thing to say, when it comes to MOTs most garages are meticulous. MOT rules are extremely strict even down to leaving MOT parking spaces unobstructed. If a garage racks up too many penalty points and loses its MOT license it can be game over for that business, so most won't take the risk.

Don't forget an MOT is a very particular list, so when it comes to rust for example it normally needs to be structural to fail an MOT.

Agreed , a mate of mine failed a car on me once for a numberplate light , then fitted a bulb and passed it , just to make sure he was inside the rules ...
 
Some people may find the MoT a pain but it's for your safety - I go to a local garage that does a thorough one and gives me advisories if needed.
Related to Paul's post - once the car failed on a numberplate bulb so they replaced straight away and added the 90p to the bill.
 
Aftermarket HID's look horrible and draw the wrong kind of attention IMO.

There is no hatching on OE Xenon Headlamps so no one is fooled.

If it's for better light when driving why not source some nice Phillips or Osram H7's?
 
Aftermarket HID's look horrible and draw the wrong kind of attention IMO.

There is no hatching on OE Xenon Headlamps so no one is fooled.

If it's for better light when driving why not source some nice Phillips or Osram H7's?

what is this hatching you refer to ? , i have my aftermarket HID's fitted into projector type lenses and the beam pattern is perfect , also , no one has ever flashed me despite driving on unlit roads where you would expect them to be a problem to other users .....
 
Some people may find the MoT a pain but it's for your safety - I go to a local garage that does a thorough one and gives me advisories if needed.
Related to Paul's post - once the car failed on a numberplate bulb so they replaced straight away and added the 90p to the bill.

I got done for 32p this year for replacing a failed bulb, you were robbed :laugh:

But seriously, finding a good garage is wonderful. My wife got an advisory because her 52 plate car still has a 2002 tyre on it. They couldn't fail it on tread depth but they were worried about it. :thumbsup:
 
what is this hatching you refer to ? , i have my aftermarket HID's fitted into projector type lenses and the beam pattern is perfect , also , no one has ever flashed me despite driving on unlit roads where you would expect them to be a problem to other users .....

I'm the same, the projectors I have are OEM from another car so you get the same beam pattern and light output you would on the other car.

HIDs in reflector housings are another matter. You get more light but the pattern is awful.
 
Well well well...just had my A4 MOT'd today at Halfords :)eek:) and it passed using aftermarket HID lights. Looks like i was worrying over nothing! :smashin:
 
I've not known anyone done for aftermarket hids at mot time.

Obviously they should have self levelling and cleaning but they never check and the cleaning one is easy to spot.
 
Well well well...just had my A4 MOT'd today at Halfords :)eek:) and it passed using aftermarket HID lights. Looks like i was worrying over nothing! :smashin:

or look at it another way , halfords did not do the mot properly , if they missed them , how can you be sure they didnt miss the corroded brake pipe ....
 
The new regulations regarding HID's do not come into force until April so any car fitted with aftermarket HID's tested before then should pass as long as the beam pattern is good.
 
I've not known anyone done for aftermarket hids at mot time.

Obviously they should have self levelling and cleaning but they never check and the cleaning one is easy to spot.

The self levelling and washer system only needs to be working, if the xenons were factory fitted. And you'll still pass without a working system until 1st April. It'll only be an adivsory, but after 1st April, it'll be a fail if your self levelling and washer systems don't work.....hence why my car will fail.
 
The new regulations regarding HID's do not come into force until April so any car fitted with aftermarket HID's tested before then should pass as long as the beam pattern is good.

But in that first link i posted (which strangely doesn't work anymore), it said that the new rules would take effect from 1st Jan 2012. Has it been put back to April now?
 
Managed to find a copy of that document (attached), this is what it says at the beginning:

This Technical Pen Picture gives an overview of the MOT test
changes in respect of lighting and signalling checks brought
about by an amendment to Annex II to Directive 2009/40/EC
and introduced by Commission Directive 2010/48/EU.

These changes will take effect from 1 January 2012.
 

Attachments

  • technicalpenpicture3-lighting.pdf
    279.8 KB · Views: 164
Agreed , a mate of mine failed a car on me once for a numberplate light , then fitted a bulb and passed it , just to make sure he was inside the rules ...

My car failed on the air freshener obstructing drivers vision. He then took it down off the rear view mirror and passed it :D
 
The January deadline was only relevant to beam patterns and advisories being issued for incorrect patterns from HID's the actual failing of the test is from 1st of April. eBay is going to be flooded with s/h kits soon. I'm on the lookout for a cheap H3 bulb kit for my front fogs as they are not affected by the new rules.
 
i just got some of them Phillips Extreme vision bulbs they work well:), was looking at the HID kits but the Mot was an issue even if you replace for the Mot pass but the the person doing the mot will look for the Hid kit and still fail as that's in the regs as well, just not worth the hassle.
 
It used to be that they could only test what was fitted to the car. I have heard of people removing the whole headlight unit for the drive to the test, and refitting it after. Don't know if the regs now state headlights must be fitted, or if it just states to check for HID's. As long as you're diving to/from in daylight, you won't be doing anything wrong.

However, I agree with those who say just get rid of them. High output bulbs these days are bright enough. I've had Philips Xtreme's (+70%) and currently Ring Xenon Max (+100%) and they are fine.
 
always thought the Hid's were brighter then theses upgrade bulbs i do have the 100% light phillips ones though, so there they give out the same light then?
 

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